IM:AA Revenge and heartache
by Stroppy Poppy
Summary: When Gene gives Tony a choice between his secret or Peppers survival, what lengths will he go to protect her? Even if it kills him in the process.


Tony Stark, a teenage genius was surveying the damage left in the armoury after Xin Ghang trashed it. He sighed at started to clean it up, "at least my heart charger is still intact." He would die if he didn't recharge his heart. After his plane crashed he nearly died if it wasn't for the Iron Man armour. Tony was no regular teenager, he was Iron Man.

Rhodey walked into the armoury, "Thought I'd find you in here," Tony looked up at him, he made an attempt to smile but failed, even your best friend can't cheer you up when you nearly lost both of your best friends and found out your dead father is still alive oh and that a guy you trusted with your biggest secret ever was your arch enemy, "Tony, you can't clean this all up by yourself, here let me help you!" Rhodey waved a roll of bin bags and Tony moved over to let him in. "There's millions of dollars worth of suits totally ruined, I can melt them down and reshape them, but it will take months, the mark 1 and War Machine are the only working armours we have left, _try _not to smash it up." Tony said to Rhodey,  
"Hey! I'm not the one who smashed up armours, Clumsy Man"  
"Clumsy Man, that the best you got?" Tony pushed Rhodey and Rhodey threw some dust at Tony, They we're laughing when Pepper walked in, with tears streaming down her face, Tony stopped laughing and ran up to Pepper, "Pepper , what happened?" Pepper was still crying. Tony saw a perfect opportunity and gave her a huge hug; it didn't want to make it _that _obvious he liked her. "My Dad, he he, Whiplash, I don't, I don't know what's happened to him he didn't come home and...I called the FBI and he, he hasn't been in work for a few days but he said he was working late two days ago and he, he isn't answering my text he ALWAYS answers my text even when their weird ramblings about you...and Rhodey" she broke down crying again, Tony ran to what was left of the computer, it was still kind of working. He sat in the chair and started to search using his "borrowed" S.H.E.I.L.D. satellite, he grew more and more worried, "Pepper, you're right, Whiplash is back and he has your...Dad?" Tony looked closely at the satellite images, Mr Potts AND his father were there, "Gene! He has both our Dad's there, he's probably behind Mr Rhodes' tour being extended."  
"Tony, you don't think he told other villains, who you are do you?" Rhodey sad, clearing trying, and failing, to look calm, Pepper tried to suppress a sob. "No, Gene wouldn't do that to us" Pepper was nearly sure that statement was true.  
"Pepper, Gene tried to kill us." Rhodey yelled at her, Tony shot Rhodey a glare. Pepper yelled back just as loud, "No, He tried to kill you two, not me proving Gene is still in there!" Tony tried to suppress a chuckle, Rhodey glared at him this time, "What's so funny?"  
"You just got ownnnnnnnnnnnned"

"OUCH! Watch it!" Howard Stark complained as Virgil Potts got thrown into his cell, "No! What are you doing! Please, I have to get home Pepper will be freaking out!" Virgil cried.  
"That's my plan, if Pepper freaks out it will upset Iron Man making it far easier to set him off once my plan goes into motion!" boomed The Mandarin.

Tony and Rhodey were still in the lab; Pepper had asked if she could stay with them until her Dad came back, Tony was thrilled! Pepper was on her was home to get her stuff, when Gene stepped out in front of her, "Hey Pepper" He gave her his smile that made Pepper melt  
"Gene! I knew you couldn't be...evil, why are the Maggia with you, and Mr, Mr Fix!" Pepper then knew it was a trap. "It's nothing personally, it's to get to Iron Man" and before Pepper could run she was knocked out and tied up.

Suddenly a news report flashed on all TV channels and computers, Tony and Rhodey gasped to discover every villain iron man had ever fought, INCLUDING Madame Masque had got together in one place. The news camera went to the Mandarin, "Iron Man, We have all the police and FBI forces, tied up shall we say so don't even think about calling them." He walked over to a glass cage and lifted a cover off it, underneath was a tied up Pepper with rips in her clothes and a bruise on her face, "You wouldn't want your girlfriend to pay the price, would you? Sorry about the bruising, you just can't find good villains these days."

Tony stood up and ran for the armour, no way could he let Pepper get hurt. "T, you can't!" Rhodey yelled, Tony turned around only then did he notice he was crying, he practically yelled back to Rhodey, "I WON'T LET HIM HURT HER!" Rhodey smiled,  
"And why not?"  
"Because."  
"Because what?"  
"BECAUSE I LOVE HER, HAPPY? I'M IN LOVE WITH PEPPER POTTS AND NO WAY AM I GOING OT SIT AROUND AND WATCH GENE HURT HER" Tony was putting on the armour when Pepper woke up. "Oh no! Iron Man, please don't come, I'm fine just don't, owww!" One of the Maggia whacked her up the face. Mr Fix stepped forward, "and the whole event will be broadcast to the world!"

"Mandarin, I thought you said Iron Man would show!" Donny Gill exclaimed, The Mandarin was too deep in thought, he never mean for Pepper to get hurt, he loved her, and it made him so mad that Pepper was so completely in love with Tony, she couldn't even look at Gene, she just was curled up in a ball in the corner of the cage, Gene knew she would do anything to stop Tony coming. "Perfect" he thought, it had just started raining.

Tony was flying though the rain towards his doom, he knew it; he also knew that he and Pepper weren't walked out together, alive anyway. "Only one of us will make it, and it should NOT be me." Tony thought. Iron Man arrived at the building, he landed on the balcony and faced a room of villains, he had a plan though, he shot at peppers container and grabbed her just as he was about to fly out, Magneto stepped forward, using his control over metal he pulled him back in, Pepper whispered to Tony, " You shouldn't have come."  
"How could I not?" That answer shocked Pepper as whiplash ripped her out of Tony's arms. Magneto wrapped the metal flooring around him, he couldn't move, the Mandarin walked up to him, "time to take off that helmet!", the villains cheered and chanted "off,off,off!" the he pulled off Iron Man's helmet to reveal Tony Stark, this got many gasps and group mumblings. Gene then walked over to Pepper and held a charged up ring to her head, the more she struggled the tighter whiplash's grip got, "Stark, smile for the cameras, the world is watching!" Magneto released Tony from his grip, "retract the rest of the armour and throw it off the balcony into the ocean or Pepper will find out what these rings can do without her precious Tony to protect her!" Tony gasped, and Pepper struggled more, tears streaming down her face. "Tony, don't! Fly out NOW!" Ignoring her he retracted the armour and threw it off the balcony. Whiplash threw Pepper to the other side of the room; Tony went to go help her until he got a mouthful of rings. Pepper screamed in shock, she didn't think Gene could do something like that. After that all the villains shot at him, Ghost got one of the worst blows.

Rhodey watched in horror from the armoury, he promised he would go in war machine unless Tony dies and ONLY to get Pepper. He could barely watch as Ghost shot his best friend in the heart implant, ripping his shirt showing the implant.

Pepper finally cut herself out of her restrains; there was a thunderstorm outside now. She ran to Tony and got hit with shots intended for Tony several times but by the time she got to him she fell next to him on the balcony. The Balcony was mixed with the rain and blood. The villains realised the next shot would be the final blow, Stark wouldn't last much longer. Pepper realised that too, "So who's got the guts, who's got do it? Whitney, Tony's childhood friend." Whitney took off her mask and hung her head, "Arthur Parks, what about you, I mean I know Tony was the only person who ever tried to help you." Arthur looked at his feet, "Stane, Whiplash, Harkov?" one by one the villains heads dropped, except the Mandarin's. "What about me Pepper? Hrmm? Why don't _I_ get considered?"  
"Because I don't know who you are anymore, you can only lie so much before you become the lie. Take off your helmet, at least people wouldn't think you're a coward, hiding behind a mask." Gene took off his helmet to more gasps. He turned to face the villains while Pepper tried to help Tony, "I thought you all wanted Iron Man _dead._ So why won't anyone do it?" Harkov was the first to answer, "Because that isn't Iron Man _that _is some innocent kid who's had a tough time." This was followed by noises of agreement. Gene screamed then bellowed, "FINE! I'll do it myself" Pepper moved in front of Tony, "You'll have to get through me." This made Gene's face harden.  
"Pepper, I really don't want to hurt you!"  
"Then don't..."  
"But you're standing in the way of me getting rid of Iron Man once and for all!" and with that he blasted his rings together and the combined shot hit Pepper In the middle of the chest, as she fell Tony yelled, "NO! Pepper, no please!" he was able to shuffle over further out on the balcony, right against the ledge, where Pepper was lying. It hurt Gene too, he still loved Pepper but his hate for Tony made this a lot easier...

Pepper woke up slightly to Tony's relief; even the villains gave a thankful sigh. "Tony?" He smiled down at her" Gene said, Tony pulled Pepper closer to him, "But, I just can't decide which one!" Gene started laughing, as some of the villains backed away, "On the one hand if a killed Tony, No more Iron Man AND even better, no more Tony interfering with my life, and what's meant to be. But Pepper, if I killed her then it would destroy Tony Inside, he might even kill himself, so I don't have to!" Tony Moved closer to Pepper, She looked at him and all Tony could see was the fear in her eyes, he wondered what option she preferred, he knew now that odds are he was the one of wasn't walking out of here, so he said to Pepper what he should have said months ago, "Pepper, I have something I need to tell you." Pepper looked adoringly at him, "I love you." Finally, she thought, he finally said it, A huge smile grew over Peppers face, "I love you, too Tony." Then Tony Grabbed Pepper and kissed her. Pulling away she felt fireworks but then she saw Gene behind him , "NO TONY LOOK OUT!" she gasped, Gene basically shot what he shot at Pepper but closer and 10 times stronger, Tony fell to the ground and a pang of guilt washed over Gene. Pepper watching in horror as is heart implant started to fail, the light was getting far dimmer by the second, and she gathered all her strength and went over to him.

Rhodey was on the edge of his seat, tears' spilling from his eyes in the armoury, Whitney was standing watching crying her eyes out, the Tomorrow academy kids watched in times square with bated breath, hoping he would make it.

Pepper tried to support Tony's head the whole time muttering, "Your fine, c'mon Tony your gonna make it, I know you will." The villains started to clear out except Gene who stood there not believing what he'd done, Pepper Looked at him and with tears falling from her eyes she yelled quietly, "Just go."  
"Pepper, I, I, I'm so..."  
".GENE!" and with that he did its magic swoosh thing out. "Tony, C'mon. You can't leave me, not now. Keep breathing please!" Realising she was still on TV, "Please if this thing is still transmitting PLEASE call an ambulance, please!" Rhodey burst in the doors with paramedics a few minutes later; He stopped dead beside Tony and Pepper, "It didn't look as bad on TV." Pepper then looked at where Gene shot her, there was so much blood she was surprised she could stay awake for much longer, the pain grew worse and she passed out, all she knew was if Tony didn't wake up, she prayed she wouldn't either.

Rhodey went over to the camera and turned it off. Nobody moved there was nothing on the screens but New York fell silent, the only sound you could hear was the wailing of an ambulance and the crashes of thunder that followed. When people finally started to clear away they were checking the news reports, checking anything they could to see to find out what was happening.

Rhodey got into the ambulance with Tony and Pepper, "He looks worse than after the plane crash," he thought, he turned his head and looked at Pepper, "The amount of damage to her chest, if she makes it she is going to need an implant the same as Tony's." Rhodey shocked himself, he said 'if' he should be saying 'when they wake up' but he looked at them and all the blood, an if seemed as lucky as they were going to get.

When they arrived at the hospital it was chaos, nurses had a charger similar to Tony's one at home, "I told him giving the hospital one was a good idea but no, don't listen to Rhodey."Rhodey thought, if he didn't laugh and joke he would break down. He hoped they would both make it, if Pepper lost Tony there's no doubt she would sink into a depression, and if Tony lost Pepper, he will not be able to stand losing someone else. They were taken into rooms, across the corridor from each other, They ran into Pepper's room with a heart implant, "No Rhodey, I won't even need a replacement don't give any to the hospitals" Rhodey remember as they ran into Tony's room with one as well, "Good thing I gave them two" he mumbled, he couldn't move from the middle of the corridor watching, "We're losing 'em!" Three words he didn't wanna hear, but who were they losing? "Same in here!" Both of them, right, well that clears things up. Rhodey was pushed into the waiting rooms, along with nearly half of S.H.E.I.L.D. "Fury? What are you doing here?" Rhodey asked, he was beyond confused. Nick Fury got up and handed him a black backpack, "We don't want this in the wrong hands." Fury did care, Rhodey could tell, "Thanks, Fury, I mean it." And for the first time Rhodey had ever seen or heard of, Fury smiled.

The hospital fell quiet except of two long single notes, Tony was aware of what was happening, and that he was dying, but all he could think of was Pepper, One beat, "CHARGE THE IMPLANT MAYBE THAT WILL WORK!" doctors yelled, He thought of the team they had always been, two beats, "He's coming back!" Her smile, they way she would try to cheer him up, she tried to save him, and didn't care if she died to do it; "HE'S NEARLY BACK! KEEPING DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" But the thoughts that passed through his mind next, they were the most important things he ever thought, they way she looked at him, when she told him she loved him, that kiss, "He's back! Good job, someone go tell Rhodes." A random nurse ran off to find him. Little did they know across the hall the same thingy was happening, but the last Thing Pepper needed was, "He's back", he was alive, and she wasn't losing him now, "So is Potts! Stark outdid himself with this technology, its life-saving!"

When the nurse walked in everyone stood up, Rhodey could only hear shouting, and feared the worse, "They're both fine, they just need to get stitched up from all the damage then they're good as new." She finished with a smile, Rhodey let out a sigh of relief and S.H.E.I.L.D. started clapping like mad.

Pepper was starting to wake up, two days ago Gene had tried to kill her and she may have lost Tony forever, she sat up straight in her hospital bed, "Tony! Tony?" Rhodey walked in and smiled at her, she realised how painful sitting up was and slumped back down, "Relax he's fine, he had the same reaction about an hour ago." Rhodey sat on the chair next to Pepper's bed. Pepper examined herself for the damage, and was shocked to see what she did, "Why do I have a heart implant, the same as Tony's?"  
"Because you're chest damaged was extremely similar, if not worse than Tony's after the Plane crash." Rhodey answered. She looked at her wrist and found a watch similar to Tony's, "So you know when to charge it." She smiled at Rhodey, and tried to get out of bed, "Whoa! Relax You're Ok!"  
"I know that, I'm moving aren't I?" She walked up to the door, Rhodey followed, She stood in the door frame and smiled, Tony was standing in his, He held up a note, "Don't go any further Media/press that way!" She tried to suppress a laugh. But she stood there for a while unbelievably happy to see Tony alive, she turned around a crawled back into bed, as did Tony, "I'm gonna go get something to drink, want anything?" Rhodey asked her, Pepper just shook her head and smiled,  
"Thanks, Rhodey." Rhodey walked out and went into Tony's room and repeated the question, "No thanks, I'm good." Rhodey Turned no leave until Tony stopped him, "Thanks, Rhodey, for everything" Rhodey smiled back at him,  
"That's what best friends are for."

Pepper was nearly asleep when she heard her door close and lock, "R-R-Rhodey?" She stuttered, turned over to face the door, who she saw shocked her, "Gene! TO..." Gene covered her mouth before she could finish. "Pepper calm down!" Gene whisper as Pepper struggled, Gene was in the Mandarin armour except the helmet, "If I wasn't wearing this, holding you down would be pretty difficult!"

Rhodey walked past heading for Tony's room, but saw Pepper's closed door, that seemed strange...

"Pepper! Please I'm not going to hurt you!" then he saw the implant in her chest, "Did I do that?"She nodded. "I just need your help Pepper, and I'm sorry but I won't stop until Tony is dead, it's nothing against you ok." Pepper calmed down, "If I take my hand off your mouth will you promise you won't scream?" she nodded and he did, Pepper sat look in disgust at him then smiled and at the top of her lungs yelled, "TONY! RHODEY! HELP!" Gene made a lunge at her as Rhodey broke down the door, The police who were monitoring that ward ran in and grabbed Gene, as he made a swipe for Pepper she ran for Tony's room To find Tony standing in the corridor waiting for her, she ran into his arms and he moved himself around her as Gene was pulled out in hand cuffs, the rings were lying on the floor of Pepper's room. "Pepper, you have just made yourself a deadly enemy, I will find you then you're gonna pay!" Tony's face hardened and he stood facing Gene,  
"Over my dead body!"  
"What do you think I was aiming to do back on the balcony!" Gene spat at him. Pepper looked at Tony, covered in cuts and bruises, with a cast on his leg, still trying to stand up for her, "Wow, Tony you look awful!" she said to him with a smile,  
"Oh yeah? I'm not the one with a cast on my arm and practically blue and purple skin!" he jokingly replied. Neither of them were in good condition, but at least they were alive, The media were taking dozens of pictures and not one of them expected what happened next, Gene broke free and ran for his rings, Putting them on he blasted the police. Rhodey had two backpacks, and grabbed Tony and Pepper and they ran, They got to a bathroom, in the backpack that didn't have an armour in it he pulled out there clothes, "I ran back to the house last night, the other clothes were kind of bloody" Rhodey smiled,  
"I owe you Rhodey, But owww! Broken leg, you couldn't grab crutches?"Rhodey then threw Tony the bag, inside were collapsible crutches, "Again, I owe you!" Tony said rushing into the boys bathrooms,  
"Yeah me too," Pepper added rushing into the girls.

Gene was on a rampage, blowing everything opposing him out of this way. Tony and Rhodey were waiting outside the bathroom after waiting 5 minutes for Pepper, when she finally came out, "What? It takes TIME to look this good!" Pepper joked, her beat up converse still had a few spots of blood on them, cuts a bruises on her legs and her worn out black leggings. Her White shirt and her favourite pink jumper, her skinny black tie and a cast on her arm. Tony looked at her face, under a black eye a cut on her check, his Pepper was there, but without that smile he loved so much. Pepper looked back at him. His traditional blue jeans with a red strip from the nee down, you could see the cast on his leg over the left leg. His red shirt covered most of his wounds; a stitch ran from his elbow to the top of his neck, His messy dark hair covering the new scar about his eye, but without the smile SHE loved so much. Suddenly they heard chaos coming, "Gene, come on we gotta move!" Rhodey yelled pulling Pepper with him; they ran down the halls Tony on his crutches slightly behind them, Pepper slowed down to wait for him.

Gene turned the corner and saw the bag Tony and Pepper's clothes were in. "ARRRGH I MISSED THEM, I WILL GET YOU STARK AND YOU TO PEPPER!" He still couldn't bring himself to call her by her last name.

"You guys need to hide, I'll distract Gene." Rhodey said; Tony glared at him, "Tony, don't look at me like that, you HAVE to, Gene is going to kill you both, I can hold him off long enough for you to get away, don't argue, or we will all get killed!" Pepper looked at Tony, he had to get away from here, knowing he wouldn't leave Rhodey happily, and also knowing that he would follow her she nodded, she gave Rhodey a huge hug, "Thanks, Just stay down if you get het, okay?" she asked, Rhodey nodded, "Tony, c'mon" Pepper told him,  
"No we can't leave..."  
"Tony, Rhodey can take care of himself we gotta move!"  
"Tony, I'll be fine, GO WITH PEPPER!" Tony sighed and went with her. They didn't know where they were heading just that it was away from here, but they couldn't expect what happened next.

BOOOOOM! The wall they were next to exploded, they only got halfway down the hall so Rhodey saw it all, Gene stepped out on top of the fallen wall. Tony and Pepper struggled underneath the wall Gene knelt down to them, "This really is **crushing,** for me, or is that you?" Gene shot at the window in front of them, Pepper saw what was coming next. "Gene PLEASE don't!" Tony still didn't get it and struggled to get out, "Tony stay still." Pepper said, he looked at her and she inclined her head at the window, a look of shock crossed Tony's face, Rhodey ran at Gene trying to stop him and Gene grabbed him by the throat and threw him at the window, Pepper outstretched her good arm an Rhodey grabbed it pulling him in. He looked out the window and saw the whole hospital had been evacuated. "Gene, you could have hurt hundreds of people!" Tony yelled, Gene laughed, "Why should I care, I wanted you dead, she got in my way now your both going to pay!"  
"What exactly did Tony do to you?" Gene glared at Pepper, "You heard me, Iron Man tangled with the Mandarin but what did Tony Stark do to Gene Khan? " All Gene did was look at Pepper and Tony finally got it, "You like her don't you, and you're pissed she chose me, Aren't you?" Tony said with a smirk. Pepper gasped. "She didn't choose you, you guilted her into it!"  
"How!"  
"C'mon 'I love you' when you thought you were about to die!"  
"Oh yeah? Well what would nearly killing her, taking her as a hostage, playing her like a fiddle, I hear those are big turn offs!  
"Don't I get a say in this!" Pepper complained. Rhodey kicked her and gave her a glare.  
"Fine, You choose who you want me or Stark." Gene yelled. Pepper looked at Gene, Maybe if she said Gene he wouldn't hurt Tony, Tony...she honestly loved him but what if Gene hurt him. She looked away from both of them. Tony didn't know why she looked away and his heart sank, "Pepper?" He said, his voice was so scared it could have killed Pepper. Gene was mad now, he knew why she didn't choose, "It's because you don't want me to hurt him, because you clearly choose him, why else wouldn't you answer!" She turned her head to face Tony, she smiled and he understood.

Sadly so did Gene, but lucky Rhodey put the armour on and blasted gene down, with this distraction Pepper wiggled out, then pulled tony out. Rhodey took the armour off and threw it at Tony, "Can you fly with that leg?" Rhodey asked.  
"Yeah, the armours got energy healing tech, hence why I have never pulled a muscle in the suit!" Tony laughing putting on the suit, Gene got up just at the face mask clamped down, "You wan't to fight, then fight iron man!"  
"Hiding behind a suit, pathetic Stark, no wonder you Dad hasn't tried to break out!" Gene mocked, that set Tony off, He shot at Gene with all he had, nothing beats Tony when he's mad, "Strike one, you kidnap my Dad!" He shot Gene so hard he nearly fell, but it knocked off his helmet, "Strike two, you try to kill me about a million times then try and hurt Rhodey!" This time he blew off the chest plate, "Strike three, you tried to kill my girlfriend!" Peppers heart leapt when he finally said it, "Never even think about hurting her while I'm still alive!" He fired the unibeam and repulsors at the same time, knocked Gene down and destroying the rings. "NO! NOT THE RINGS, YOU FOOL" Gene cried, the makuhan energy release circled around Gene, "Once I find the other five rings, I will be back Stark! And you better watch out!" and with that he was gone, Pepper ran up to Tony smiling so much it was a wonder how her whole face wasn't covered, "Your girlfriend, you finally said it!" Pepper hugged Tony so tightly that it was a wonder his armour didn't break.

Pepper woke up the next morning, still in Tony's house, suddenly she had a terrible thought, was it all a dream? Did Tony ever tell her he loved her? All this rushed though her head as she went downstairs for breakfast, she saw Rhodey sitting at the table and smiled when Tony came in with his foot bandaged up, she looked at her chest, seeing the heart implant and knew it all happened. Idiot, the cast on your arm should have given it away. Suddenly Tony and Pepper's watches went off, "We better go out to the armoury and recharge our hearts," he told her, in his head he loved the way 'out hearts' sounded. Rhodey followed, "You need to see this." He said to Tony, they opened the doors to the armoury and it was clear, no rubble or exploded armours, it was the way it was before, "Rhodey, how did you, the armours, how?" Tony was amazed. On the top was three armours in a huge case, Iron Man, War Machine and Rescue, knowing it was hers Pepper just looked up at it, super pleased! "The armour damage wasn't that bag, you guys were out cold for like 3 days, I fixed it up and gave the three most important armours their place." Tony hugged Rhodey,  
"Thanks, man."  
"Don't worry about it; I'm just glad you're both alive." Tony showed Pepper how to work the charger and once they were both charged up a news report came on, "BREAKING NEWS! UNICORN AND KILLER SHRIEK ARE ROBBING A BANK!" The three of them smiled and suited up, and off went the team on their first mission together, Iron Man, War machine and Rescue, Tony opened his mask and flew up to Pepper, She did the same, "I love you." He said and Iron Man and Rescue had their first kiss. "Yeah cos that will keep Pepper's identity secret, c'mon you two we gotta go!" Rhodey yelled back at them. They shut their armours a flew off. The team were stronger than ever, "For the record, I could totally beat Batman, right?" Iron Man asked,  
"Of course you can, sweetie," replied Rescue with a laugh,  
"What was the laugh for? Pepper? PEPPER!"

THE END :D


End file.
